Deneb or Die

by Stephen Arseneault

  As I walked back toward the warehouse, Tumbe Bradley, the captain of the Malfy, walked up beside me. "What was their decision, Mr. Balls?"

  "Indecision. Only two would commit. Most are sitting the fence. Politics is getting in the way."

  "Please tell me they realize we are now fighting two wars. They have to recognize that."

  "They do. But this war with the Maxans has been going on for so long, and because we've had it relatively easy the last few decades, the politicians have more decision power than the admiralty. Some are calling for the CDF to pull fully back and to just defend our original borders."

  "They do realize that would mean fights would be taking place on those original colonies instead of out in Maxan space, right?"

  "According to the Admirals I just met with, the politicians know it, but don't want to accept it. I believe the reality of this situation calls for us to take our part of the fight into our own hands. We should arm our ships to the hilt, regardless of the law. If the politicians want to punish us for it later, so be it. A wise man once told me he'd rather be punished than dead."

  "Who was that?"

  I chuckled. "Probably me, mumbling to myself in the mirror after some screwed-up mission. More than one comes to mind."

  Tumbe Bradley was in agreement with my call to arms. As we parted ways, I made a turn toward the office of Faulk and Waldorp.

  Faulk was pacing around his desk as he argued with his partner. "Balls. Come in. We were just discussing what to do with those spare cannons and other resources from that Maxan Warstalker. We just this morning had a visit from a government official who was inquiring about the Fracker. We told him nothing, other than we had been contracted to do some repair work. What worries us is he did not look convinced."

  "This morning I asked the admiralty to get us approval for arming the merc fleet. They refused. They also know about our cannons and about how helpful they were at Deneb. But only two were willing to make their voices heard. Unfortunately, two others are vehemently opposed. So for now there is no official approval, but no disapproval either."

  Waldorp leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "That's it then. Those cannons are useless to us."

  "Not necessarily." I took a seat in front of Waldorp as Faulk stopped his pacing at the side of the desk. "What if I could get you a steady stream of mercs who wanted to add those cannons to their ships?"

  "After that visit this morning? I don't see why we would risk getting caught."

  "What if the work were to be done out at the rally point? That's outside Confederation space. From what I have read, precedent restricts the enforcement of those laws to the boundaries of our territories. And the penalty for being caught with armaments is limited to confiscation of those armaments and the cost of having them removed, no imprisonment or fine unless used to commit a crime.

  "Now I'm not one for skirting the law, but these are the lives of hundreds of patriotic citizens we're talking about. They may get in bar fights and there may be the occasional bout of smuggling going on, but in the end, if they are willing to risk their lives for the rest of us, they deserve to be armed."

  Faulk turned to his partner. "We do have that Warstalker hull still sitting out there. And the docking bay is big enough for a retrofit of these smaller ships."

  Waldorp said, "Isn't the merc fleet hundreds of ships?"

  "Fewer than a hundred now," I replied. "And after our losses at Deneb I don't expect that number will grow much. No one wants to volunteer their services when the odds are that much against you."

  "We only have eight of the cannons."

  "Then we'll have to get you more."

  "What are the chances of that?"

  "If we brought you four customers for those eight turrets, just like we have, how long would it take you to install them?"

  Faulk rubbed his chin in thought. "Well... we could outfit a ship like the Fracker with armor and weapons in a week, if given time to plan."

  Waldorp tilted his head to one side as he nodded. "Possible. And with the size of that docking bay on the Warstalker we could do two at the same time."

  "How much time do you need to prepare?"

  "If we're talking assault ships, the designs are set. We could have the support frames and plating turned out in about a week. Can I make a suggestion?"

  "Certainly."

  "We should have the armor installed here, which is not an unlawful act. And the cannons will be done at the rally point."

  "How much do you need, credit wise, to get started on this?"

  "Our cost for the armor-work alone will run about fifty thousand credits per ship. Installation of the cannons, another twenty. But we might be willing to front those costs if you can promise us another Warstalker for salvage."

  Faulk cut in. "That or three Warmongers. And I have to ask, where are you planning to get the old assault hulls from? Last I knew, the auction prices had rebounded and the military had cut way back on the number they were selling off. It seems with the loss of so many warships at Bellatrix they are hesitant to retire anything. And forgive me if I'm wrong, but the vast majority of mercs we've dealt with don't have cash laying around they could use for a new ship purchase."

  I stood and began to pace the room with my hands clasped behind my back. "Interesting. I hadn't heard they were withholding ship retirements. I guess that makes perfect sense given the condition of the fleet. I'll have to pay the Admirals another visit."

  Preparations for the ship updates were agreed upon. I made my way back to the warehouse where the others were gathering for lunch.

  As I walked in the door, Tanner was the first to ask, "How'd it go? I'm not detecting a grin."

  "The meeting about arming our ships went poorly. I don't think the approval will come because the politicians still control that body. Even given the sacrifice that was made by the merc community at Deneb, only two out of the dozen Admirals present were willing to risk the ire of our elected officials."

  "So what does that mean for the merc fleet? We can't fight another fight like we just did. There aren't enough of us left."

  I looked over at Xurpok. "It means we're heading out to Rigel. We now have two missions there. Gather intel on the Corbo and bring back a Warstalker— or several Warmongers. Keep this among yourselves, but Faulk and Waldorp want to build four more ships just like the Fracker. Those would be used by other merc crews. And if given the time after that... to build more. We'll try to outfit as many of those assault ships as possible."

  Collins replied, "Now that sounds like a plan."

  "A plan with problems. It seems the retirement of assault ships is being halted. The admiralty is in turmoil over the loss of two-thirds of the fleet. Until they get more ships produced, old hulls may be hard to come by."

  Mendez said, "What about salvage? Has to be enough parts from damaged ships to piece together a few good ones."

  "Excellent suggestion, Mendez. And I'm putting you, Tanner, and Collins in charge of finding out about that."

  Mendez scowled. "I had to open my mouth. Now I'm being punished."

  Tanner smirked. "Punished? Col and I are the ones being punished. We—"

  I pointed toward the door. "Go out and see what you three can find. Who knows how much time we have before another fleet of Herzek ships shows up at one of our colonies. And Xurpok, if you haven't already done so, start researching the Rigel system. We may be heading that way as soon as tomorrow."

  ~~~~~

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>
  Stephen

  Books by Stephen Arseneault

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  SODIUM-AMP-OMEGA Trilogy Series

  SODIUM:

  Butchered, abandoned.

  Dissected like lab rats.

  Alien machines are stalking Humans.

  Man is suddenly no longer alone in the universe. Advanced enemies plague our very existence. We have to muster all our strength, determination, and courage if we are to survive. And if those can be managed, there is a galaxy to be conquered.

  This six-book saga takes Man from his first encounter with aliens back in 1957, all the way to a fight for our all-out survival in the future. If you love tales written in the style of the science fiction masters, prepare yourself for full immersion in this fantastic adventure! Get it here!

  AMP:

  In a distant galaxy, Humans are on the run.

  An insane species follows.

  They will not stop... ever.

  Trapped on an immense station with limited resources, our only option has been to flee. Years of peace are over. War is again coming to the Grid.

  This time however, it's time to stand and fight.

  This exciting eight-book series chronicles the struggles of Don Grange, a simple package deliveryman, who is thrust into an unimaginable role in the fight against our enemies. Can we win peace and freedom after a thousand years of war?

  Continuing as a legacy of the SODIUM series, the story picks up a thousand years into the future. Don't just sit at home scratching your head about what to do because you are bored, go on a mental rampage, travel the stars, take a risk and dive head-first into this non-stop-action saga! Get it here!

  OMEGA:

  The Alliance is crumbling.

  There are rumors of war in Andromeda.

  Whole colonies are being conscripted to fight.

  When corruption and politics threaten to throw the allied galaxies into chaos, Inspection Detective Knog Beutcher gets caught in the middle. Espionage, intrigue, political assassinations, rebellions and full-on revolutions, they are all coming to Knog Beutcher's world.

  Told from the unique perspective of an alien, this thrilling eight book series is cast a thousand years into the future beyond the exciting AMP series. Prepare to be reading until the wee hours! Get it here!

  * * *

  HADRON:

  Billions die.

  Life on Earth is shaken to its core.

  We can be our own worst enemy.

  After scientists using the Large Hadron Collider discover dark matter, the world is plunged into chaos.

  Massive waves of electromagnetic interference take out all grid power and forms of communication the world over. Cities go dark, food and clean-water supplies are quickly used up. Marauders rule the highways. One group of citizens takes a stand. Can they make a difference?

  A benevolent species will arrive in their spaceships to rescue the Human race from themselves. Only, are they really so benevolent? Our little corner of the Milky Way may be a very hostile place.

  This eight book adventure begins as a modern day, Human survival story and then morphs into an all out fight for rule of our section of the Milky Way. If you love reading apocalypse-turned-science-fiction, and reading with your mouth agape, this saga was made for you! Get it here!

  * * *

  ARMS:

  Selling arms to the outer colonies.

  A sweet deal.

  Unless you're being used to threaten the peace.

  Genetically engineered and trained for war, Harris Gruberg and Tawnish Freely, former Biomarines with the Domicile Defense Force, have been out of work since the centuries-old war with New Earth came to an end two years prior. They lack the knowledge and experience needed to live among a civilian population.

  Getting involved in the illegal arms trade offers the promise of working with something they know-- weapons. When the profits from their efforts run wild, they soon find out acquiring wealth so easily comes at a high cost. Will their mistakes bring a return of the Great War? Or is what's coming far worse?

  If you enjoy fighting the good fight, protecting the people and what you love, the ARMS saga will keep you ripping through pages until your fingers bleed! Get it here!

  * * *

  FREEDOM:

  Addicted.

  Enslaved to the Empire for 500 generations.

  We are bought, sold, traded, and hunted for sport, our value only measured in credits.

  But a mysterious virus is sweeping through our populations, giving immunity to the addiction and making us aware of our condition. We feel the call of freedom. Our masters feel different.

  If you love being dependent, confined, trapped in a great story, this unique six book saga will become an addiction of your own! Get it here!

  * * *

  QUANTUM:

  A lifetime lived in under a minute...

  Impossible, everyone thought.

  Until now.

  An Opamari scientist has found a way. By cloning a subject and sending the clone back in time, the subject can live the clone's entire life in less than a minute of sleep.

  But all actions have consequences. Playing with the past can be disastrous for the present.

  When a ruthless tycoon steals the technology, the future of the galaxy is at risk. Will humans, after being slaughtered by the Opamari more than 50,000 years before, be resurrected by the tycoon's actions?

  If you love time travel and historical fiction, the Quantum saga will keep you burning through the pages late into the night! Get it here!

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